Celebrating Women Living Naturally

One to Watch: Florence Kasumba

It’s been nearly a week since the release of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War and we’re still talking about all of our favorite scenes and memorable moments. Surprisingly, a brief on-screen appearance from Ugandan actress, Florence Kasumba has proven to be a fan favorite–leaving viewers wanting more.

In Civil War, Kasumba is the security chief of Black Panther (T’Challa) and appears briefly in a scene between Black Widow and Black Panther. Garbed in a simple black dress she captures our attention immediately with the rigidness of her bearing and the intimating aura of a queen. We know she is not to be trifled with before she bluntly tells Black Widow to “Move. Or you will be moved.”

While there is no official word yet on whether her character plays a larger role in the series, fans are speculating that she will be a member of the Dora Milaje, elite warriors tasked with protecting the king of Wakanda in the Black Panther film scheduled to be released in early 2018.

In the mean time it appears that Kasumba is already preparing to give fans more. Last night, Entertainment Weekly released new photos of NBC’s Emerald City, a 10-episode drama, which modernizes Frank Baum’s original 14 “Oz” books. In the series, Kasumba will be playing the Wicked Witch of the East.

NBC’s Emerald City has had a rough time making it to the screen. The show was originally picked up in 2014 and immediately tabled before being revived last year under new direction. Although a formal premiere date has not been set interest in Kasumba can only mean good things for viewership.